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Rumor: Disc-Less Xbox One Set For Surprise May Release

Microsoft's rumored disc-less Xbox One could become available as early as May, as a report from Windows Central reports.

News regarding such a console from Microsoft has been around for a while, with Thurrorr.com's Brad Sams having reported back in November, that the company had taken up a non-disc concept that was under experimentation, with the aim of launching it this year.

Windows Central, though, claims sources have informed them that the system, currently codenamed the "Xbox Maverick," will be released as the "Xbox One S All-Digital Edition" in May, and will be ready for pre-order by mid-April. It is also believed that the console will launch globally for almost all existing Xbox markets.

This version of the Xbox One S will hand gamers the privilege of doing away with discs altogether, allowing them the opportunity to delve into a purely digital experience. There's no word on pricing for now, but with Microsoft looking to offer greater access to its game library through avenues such as Xbox Game Pass and soon-to-come streaming service ProjectxCloud, the disc-less unit is expected to be the cheapest Xbox console yet.

As it stands, there's no confirmation from Microsoft pertaining to this rumor, but Windows Central claims this is "looking pretty solid." While not having disc-reading functionality would limit the use of 4K content on the All-Digital, there are benefits to be had; pre-loading games and instant refunds, for example.

Of course, this would take away the ability to share physical copies of games with friends or trading them into retailers, such as Gamestop.

Meanwhile, there's also speculation over a Fortnite Edition console from Microsoft that would come with a custom Fortnite design instead of just a bundle. The aforementioned publication was not able to say whether the console would be a regular S, an X, or the potentially upcoming disc-less version. However, they have promised updates as soon as more is known.